The Betrayal Wound

Key Elements of The Betrayal Wound

“People will let me down. I can’t trust them — or myself.”

💔 Core Belief

“Others will betray me.”
“If I let my guard down, I’ll be hurt.”
“I can’t trust myself to keep me safe.”

🧩 Unmet Need

🛡️ The need for dependable trust, loyalty, and self-protection

To feel safe enough to open up, rely on others when needed, and know you can recover if things go wrong.

🛡️ Protective Patterns

To avoid re-experiencing betrayal, you may:

• Withhold emotional intimacy, even in close relationships

• Constantly scan for red flags or ulterior motives

• Feel uneasy receiving help or kindness

• Rely excessively on control, withdrawal, or anger to self-protect

• Swing between hyper-independence and anxious dependence

• Distrust your own instincts, especially after past betrayals

🧠 Internalized Narrative

“I can’t trust others — and I don’t fully trust myself, either.”
“If someone betrays me again, I won’t recover.”
“I should never have opened up. That was my mistake.”

🌱 Healing Path

🤲 Rebuild self-trust through small daily acts of showing up for yourself
🧱 Make tiny commitments to yourself — and keep them
🧍‍♀️ Create emotional and practical self-reliance across life areas
🛡️ Set boundaries that protect you without shutting everyone out
🤝 Choose safe people to practice trusting — gradually and consciously

🔄 Core Shift

From:

“Others will betray me, and I won’t be able to handle it.”

To:
“I can trust myself to respond wisely, even if others disappoint me.”